You Kill Me Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Love is always worth another shot
A killer comedy by John Dahl
"Hi, my name is Frank I'm an alcoholic. I kill people for a living... This is anonymous, right?"
A hit-man has made some terrible mistakes and his mob needs to get him back on track.
| Mario Ballantyne | Airport Patron |
| Cory Cassidy | Restaurant Patron |
| Dennis Farina | Edward O'Leary |
| Philip Baker Hall | Roman Krzeminski |
| Scott Heindl | James Doyle |
| Aaron Hughes | Stanley |
| Brian Kawakami | San Francisco AA Member |
| Ben Kingsley | Frank Falenczyk |
| Devin McCracken | Henry |
| Sean O'Brian | Real Estate Agent |
| Bill Pullman | Dave |
| Marcus Thomas | Stef Czyprynski |
| Darren Wall | Driver |
| Luke Wilson | Tom |
| Warren Louis Wiltshire | AA Member |
| John Dahl |
7.30 out of 10 (32 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Great film. Intelligent and vastly underrated.
posted on 08 Jun 2009The summer of 2007. In a sea of motion picture mediocrity, as usual for Hollywood, this shines like a diamond. It's truly refreshing to find a movie so unusual and witty. The humor here is very subtle, droll and understated, and a few times I wasn't sure if I was reading something into certain things thinking there was humor there when there wasn't. But there was.This is a very offbeat and highly original story, which is most likely why I enjoyed it so much. A hit-man who can't kill because of his alcoholism; therefore he can't make a "living". A Polish mob, Irish mob, Greek mob, Chinese mob-very refreshing for a change that there was no stereotypical Italian mob.Since he botched a hit in Buffalo, he's sent to San Francisco to dry out. Meets Tea Leoni (a very underused and underrated actress who should be in far more good films like this) at his job at the mortuary.I highly recommend this film especially for people like myself who enjoy offbeat, black comedies. And it has a happy, uplifting ending.
really really excellent
posted on 15 May 2009great movie, good, very good actors. I have seen lots of movies in the last years, but this one is really fantastic. Even though you might need a few hours after the movie to think about the background, it is definitely worth seeing.The actors in this movie are brilliant, the story easy to get but with many hidden tracks. A drunk can definitely play good roles! Especially the end of the movie is fantastic!A must see! Hope you enjoy the movie, let us know, here! Thanks, have fun, Michael
Darkly funny black comedy; Kingsley & Leoni make a smart/sexy couple
posted on 23 Apr 2009YOU KILL ME (2007) *** Ben Kingsley, Tea Leoni, Luke Wilson, Dennis Farina, Philip Baker Hall, Scott Heindl, Bill Pullman. Quirky black comedy about an alcoholic hit man (Kingsley having a field day) who is forced into rehab after failing to kill a mark, and finds himself with the help of his gay AA sponsor (Wilson), a shady real estate agent assigned as his 'babysitter' (Pullman echoing eerily a comic version of Michael Douglas' D-Fense look in FALLING DOWN), and a world-weary love interest (Leoni in her best work to date, who also co-produced) offering him a chance at a sober happiness, even if it kills him. Darkly funny screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely and deadpan direction with aplomb by John Dahl makes this neo-noir fest a surprising delight.
We've seen these movies, but You Kill Me is worth your time
posted on 19 Apr 2009When my mom and I were at Blockbuster the other day, I noticed You Kill Me, I kinda remember it being released in the theater and hearing a good review from a friend of mine. So I rented it and watched it the other night, I didn't know what to expect, I didn't even really know what it was about. Now, we have such a trend in Hollywood, the hit-man comedies, there are quite a few, why not? Something so serious and scary, you can't help but just have fun with it. But for the most part, it's starting to get old and some movies are just trying to upstage the classics like The Whole Nine Yards and such, so You Kill Me is just nothing new, so it doesn't stand out. While it's worth the watch, it has some fun moments here and there, it's just that I expected something new or fresh, and the funny drunk hit-man isn't working for me.Frank is a hit man for his "family business", but when he sleeps right through the biggest hit, due to his drinking, he's messing up left and right, so his boss tells him get sober or get killed. So they send him to rehab away from home. There he gets a new job as a make up artist for corpses at a funeral home. He meets a new friend at rehab, Tom, who is Frank's sponsor as well. He also meets a new girl, Laurel, who becomes the unexpected love of his life, and helps him out with the biggest hit of his life.You Kill Me isn't a bad movie by any means, it is worth the look, but just trust me, it's nothing special. But both Kingsley and Leoni pull in good and solid performances that make the film worth watching. I don't know if their kissing exactly "sizzled" the screen, but it's all good, their last scenes together during the big hit were great and really pulled off well. So if you have the opportunity to see it, go ahead and watch it, it's a decent enough film with some fun laughs and good actors.6/10
Dark comedy with a great actor....
posted on 28 Mar 2009however, the script just isn't as smart. Ben Kingsley yet again gives a great performance. He's very believable as Frank, an alcoholic hit-man, sent to San Fransico by the boss to go to rehab. He works in a funeral home and meets Laurel, whom doesn't seem to mind to much that he's in AA. And even when he tell her the truth about his job, as well as his AA group; no one seems to really mind. And this was one part I had a problem with because I think a woman would care that the guy she's dating shoots people for a living. Things go badly for the family back in Buffalo, so Frank must go back and take care of things. But, Laurel won't give him up so easily.Now to the story: it could have been better. It's a dark comedy, amusing at times like it should be, but it just seems to develop slowly. Needed some more action or for it to have more laughs and not be as serious.FINAL VERDICT: A good movie for watching Ben Kingsly do his thing, but plot needed to move swifter.
One Day at a Time
posted on 20 Mar 2009Greetings again from the darkness. "Rounders" director John Dahl delivers a dark comedy with some terrific lines and a very entertaining alcoholic hit man played by Sir Ben Kingsley. The very odd selection of Kingsley's love interest is Tea Leoni, who for whatever reason, just can't find the right role for her talent.Much suspension of belief, logic and reality must occur by the viewer, but if you can, then you will find a different type of film that has some moments of genius. It is a bit of a Coen Brothers starter kit and could have had much more dark humor, but there is enough for a good time. The downside is the convoluted multiple story lines of family honor/dishonor, mob life, AA meetings, loneliness, etc etc. Too many bits that don't quite make a whole.Decent support work Dennis Farina, Philip Baker Hall and Owen Wilson who reprise any number of their previous roles, but special mention must go to Bill Pullman who really is a standout as one of the oddest Realtors you will ever run across. The whole AA story line is a bit preachy and the climax is a bit ridiculous, but still it is a fun little movie that is not the usual Hollywood fluff.Special mention must also go out to the fine and unusual soundtrack and also some of the odd lighting and shots. Fun stuff for movie nuts.
Killers Anonymous--Part 1
posted on 18 Mar 2009My assumption is that John Dahl has a greater gift for authentic noir than any other current director. Maybe he should stick to it. In his latest, 'You Kill Me,' which at least has noir elements, he improves (and this corresponds to Metacritic's estimates of the reviews) over his non-noir 1998 'Rounders' and 2005 'The Great Raid,' but still falls well below his early and purer neo-noir triumphs, 'The Last Seduction' (1994), 'Red Rock West' (1992)—and his 1989 Metacritic-unrated debut 'Kill Me Again'—the most authentically nourish of all and the better for it. Dahl peaked in 'The Last Seduction,' which twists the genre triumphantly with its hilarious vagina dentata queen bee played with such gusto by Linda Fiorentino. That was where Dahl had it all, with the noir tricks fully in place—the double-crosses, the deceptions, the loser: and it was mean, but it was funny too. Where did that magic go? I think he's trying to get it back in 'You Kill Me', but he doesn't quite succeed.Dahl was lucky with the casts he found for his noir films, and adroit in using them. In his new one—a noir comedy, which might or might not be an oxymoron—he's got a virtuoso in the lead: Ben Kingsley is Frank, a contract killer in Buffalo whose alcoholism causes him to botch a very important hit. His Polish gang boss (Philip Baker Hall) sends him out to California—touchy-feely rehab land—to dry out. The premise seems contrived and slight, not so much a plot as a line to hang some jokes on; but there are some original characterizations and some good lines.Once in San Francisco, Frank works part-time as an embalmer's assistant and tries to shape up. Back in the cold the Polish gang he works for is being devoured by an Irish one due to his botched assassination of its leader Edward O'Leary (Dennis Farina). Bill Pullman creates a totally new persona for himself as an odd and unscrupulous San Francisco realtor who's Frank's West Coast handler. Frank finds a low profile gay AA sponsor in Luke Wilson. Kingsley's initial exchanges with Wilson are droll, but Wilson's character is underdeveloped.The story has fun with 12-stepping, yet treats it knowingly and sympathetically. Perhaps too much so: shouldn't humor about a killer be mean? 'You Kill Me' manages to be dark yet sweet. The combination only occasionally works. The best moments are the encounters between Frank and his cool and ridiculously indulgent new girlfriend Laurel (Téa Leoni, also a producer of the film). The dry humane humor is a drop down from the hysterically funny cruelty Dahl achieved in 'The Last Seduction' and the new film lacks the earlier one's strong narrative momentum.Why doesn't Dahl go back to pure noir? Well, it isn't fashionable. It may even be impossible. But out of place crooks bonding with locals isn't a new joke either. What gives 'You Kill Me' watchability is the chance it provides to see Kingsley be funny—and to enjoy another good Dahl cast, several of whose members have been united under the noir banner before. But it feels like Dahl and crew tried to do too many things with too little time and money on this project. 'You Kill Me' has a Metacritic rating of 64, on a current par with 1408, 'Blades of Glory' and 'Surf's Up'—just above 'Ocean's Thirteen,' 'Disturbia,' and 'Bug.' It's certainly not a hit but it commands a certain degree of respect. (For "Killers Anonymous—Part 2" see the Comments on 'Mr. Brooks.')
Very funny dark comedy
posted on 08 Mar 2009Frank (Ben Kingsley) is a mob hit-man from Buffalo with a drinking problem. His boss sends him to San Francisco to clean up his act.This film is very funny, and sends 12 step programs on their head. How does one make amends for killing people? What other glaring character defects can one have after murder? Ben Kingsley does a wonderful job playing Frank, the drunken hit-man who wants to get sober. Frank is a quiet, no-nonsense type of guy, who keeps to himself, and Kingsley is amazing showing Frank transform into someone who is "rigorously" honest and open at the AA meeting. I was surprised by Tea Leoni -- she's not one of my favorite actresses, and she did a very good job demonstrating her own "shortcomings" while dealing with the new (hit)man in her life. Luke Wilson is very good as Franks 'sponsor', and Bill Pullman is an underused actor who is Frank's contact in San Francisco to keep an eye on him.My big problem with this film is the music. Not that it isn't a catchy tune, but it's variations were used ad nausea. The same music came on during, what I felt, were inappropriate times -- quiet, contemplative scenes. Even if music was played during those quiet scenes, it could have been different music.I give this film 9 out of 10 stars, minus one for the music.
Dark Comedy Showcases Leoni's Talents
posted on 14 Feb 2009"You Kill Me" is as dark a comedy as you can get. It may also be the first artistically successful romantic comedy noir. Directed by John Dahl (best known for his indie-noirs "Red Rock West" and "The Last Seduction" and the underrated killer trucker flick "Joyride"), the film depicts a hit man (Ben Kingsley-deep in character) forced into Alcoholics Anonymous by his "family" because his drinking has been affecting his ability to kill people. Shipped off to San Franscisco to start his 12 Steps, he picks up a part-time gig at a funeral home and meets a sassy single woman with "boundary issues" (Tea Leoni-hilarious) after her step-dad dies and proceeds to start an unconventional romance with her while struggling to stay on the wagon and learn how to kill again.The film starts off very low key, and Dahl keeps such a consistently dark tone it's hard to adjust to the cadence. As good as Kingsley is here, the show really belongs to Leoni. When she finally arrives on the scene, the film reaches a level of hilarity you weren't expecting. Her facial expressions, comic timing, and interplay with Kingsley as she learns the truth about his past are pure gold. Leoni has had her fair share of commercial successes ("Bad Boys," "Deep Impact," "The Family Man", and "Jurassic Park III") but it's in this type of offbeat low-budget comedy where she really shines. She was dynamite in "Flirting with Disaster" and was the best foil for Woody Allen since Diane Keaton in the otherwise forgettable "Hollywood Ending." Here all her comic charms are on display, and she proves that at the age of 40, she is aging not only gracefully and naturally, but with all her sexiness and innate talents in tact.While the film goes through the predictable motions in its final act, it's the gooey goodness of the middle portion (especially one laugh-out-loud montage of Leoni helping Kingsley train for his return to "work") that will leave a smile on your face, with Leoni's luminosity as a comedic actress scorched into your mind.
An Edgy Comedy-Drama
posted on 04 Feb 2009"You Kill Me" has a raw, edgy feel that maintains a nice sense of tension throughout the movie keeping the audience off balance. This comedy drama, somewhat dark movie has great subtle wit and humor sparkled throughout the movie as well as a sensitive treatment and paradox of substance abuse AA treatment. Bill Pullman, surprisingly gets to expand his usual character into a more colorful display while Ben Kingsley is his usual competent self. Tea Leoni who also is an executive producer gets to go along for the ride. This movie continues the increasingly smooth blend of comedy-drama into the societal topics of interest. A fun, creative, touching entertainment from IFC films. Eight out Ten Stars.
What more can I say other than boredddddd
posted on 19 Jan 2009I went to this film full of hope. With so many capable and humorous actors headed up by Sir Ben I thought this is going to be a little treat.Oh how I felt like gouging my eyes out as the credits rolled. That I had wasted 93mins of my life this film that was clearly DOA. There are some real problems with this film and it will probably be easier to list them; 1. No jokes, I am not particularly hard to please comedically - high or low brow - but there really is not one laugh in this film.2. Sir Ben mumbles through every single line whether he is supposed to be drunk or not?!? 3. There is no effort to to begin let alone develop the relationship between the love interests in this. 2 people bumping into each other randomly in the street would instantly have more rapport.4. All the acting talent that is assembled is completely wasted. Don't be fooled into watching this because of the names.5. For a cold ass hit-man he rubbed out more people in Gandhi than this flaccid waste of time (a by the way dyed beards look really creepy) I was hoping that this was a slow burner but in the end the only thing that could inject any life - and justice - into this is Frank pulling out his 9 and offing the whole cast starting with Tea and ending with himself - sorry it was that bad.
Nonsensical Mess
posted on 03 Jan 2009This movie stars Ben Kingsley as Frank, a hit man for some Russian mobsters based out of Buffalo. He is also a raging alcoholic, and this has caused his job performance to decline. After he falls asleep in his car during a would-be hit, his mob boss uncle sends him to San Francisco, where he is to attend AA meetings and get a job as a mortician's assistant. If you're thinking that this makes absolutely no sense, you're not alone.It gets worse. Well, it actually gets better, but not before getting much, much worse. Frank suddenly becomes a master mortician in spite of a complete lack of training, but his reactions with the people in the funeral home and the AA meetings are interesting. The viewer starts to root for him as they notice positive changes in his life. Luke Wilson is a welcome addition as Frank's sponsor, although he is given almost nothing to do (his character does tell us he is gay, but this ends up having no significance whatsoever). The movie plunges headlong into idiocy with the introduction of the Tea Leoni character. She is completely unrealistic, and her role as a love interest to Frank flounders, as the two actors have no chemistry together. Around the time she comes into the picture, Frank becomes much less engrossing as a character. His characterization is seemingly random; there is no consistency in his behavior. The comedy is low-key and only intermittently funny, especially disappointing considering the comedic pedigree of the cast.Problems abound in this one. Kingsley's accent is terrible and inconsistent. It alternates between Italian, Russian, and Hispanic. Throughout the course of the movie, Frank tells numerous people he is a hit man (including an entire AA group), but nobody seems to care, or wants to do anything about it. The movie relies on cliché scenes to carry it through its final act, most notably when Leoni's insufferable character chases Frank down at the airport, just when he is about to board a flight back to Buffalo.Though it has a strong premise and an interesting first half-hour, the movie quickly becomes a total disaster and devolves into complete nonsense. At the end of the film, Frank celebrates one year of sobriety. I hope to celebrate many, many years of not having seen "You Kill Me". My Grade: D+
Do I really look like I want to go to f*cking Buffalo?
posted on 26 Nov 2008It is refreshing to have an adult comedy to watch for a change. The dialog in this film was first rate. Props to Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely for a primo script. Too bad I can't watch their other work.Ben Kingsley was superb as an alcoholic hit man who fall in love while trying to recover. Téa Leoni did the best work that I have ever seen. She nailed the lines and was totally believable. I hope she does more work like this.It's hard to root for a contract killer, but you just hope that Frank (Kingsley) gets his act together so he can finish his work and settle down with Laurel (Leoni). But, hey, that's what black comedy is all about.
Don't buy the 7 rating for this 2 star dry comedy...
posted on 10 Nov 2008I watched this movie with open acceptance, but it totally left me with a blah feeling. I'm not going to rehash the plot like a lot of the newblet commenting parties. I'll get down to the juice of it. Benny has become one of the most overrated actors of his generation; the truth about his performance utterly miserably. I know what he was going for, but he lacked any sincerity mixed with that lousy Buffalo accent of Polish decent. It was horrible. Tea and Benny's romance was completely unconvincing, because at no point did she seem weak enough to go with a guy that is 3 feet tall, has a face like a pickle, and enough sex appeal to turn on a Centurion during her most trying times. The writing was extremely poor, lacking the subtleties necessary to bull of this genre. The rest of the cast was just mediocre. The material was unoriginal and the fact that they entered the world of AA is just not fair. That just isn't respectful to the organization. I know Tea produced this, but I seriously believe she has a performance in her worth seeing one day, but not this day. I'm sorry you produced this film. This film was god awful. The end.
Big plus modified
posted on 04 Nov 2008I came into this film positively, it having been recommended by friends. I was drawn into it immediately. I have almost never seen Ben Kingsley do a bad film.I soon realized that this was a farce but not being played so. It was not seen by the director as a farce, so it fell into a thriller, to please audiences. The long stretches of the film that were straight-out farce were brilliant. I didn't want this film to end...I kept hoping that it would end up satisfactory, but it did not.Is this a spoiler? No, it is not. I'd want other film freaks to watch and see if they agree with me. I watched the film through and enjoyed it. Ben Kingsley's characters will always become part of my lexicon of known people.
You kill film!
posted on 25 Sep 2008This is possibly one of the worst movies I have had the dis-pleasure of watching in my entire life. The plot is ridiculous and the characters are horrible people. I watched this film with 3 friends and we all agreed to turn it off 30 minutes before the end. Ben Kingsley's character is just plain stupid but not funny at all. It is a wonder why an actor of his talent would be involved in such tripe. Tea Leoni does a fine Hillary Clinton impression throughout to portray the very cold and uninteresting female lead who has all the endearing qualities of a broom handle. Throw in a pointless and unexplained sub-plot and a horribly cringe worthy montage, and you end up with a waste of 93 minutes (60 in my case). Avoid this film at all costs!
A deep black comedy, yes, but totally diverting
posted on 07 Sep 2008Frank (Ben Kingsley) is the designated hit-man for a Polish gang in Buffalo, New York. The head gangster (Philip Baker Hall) sends him out to knock people off when necessary but, not without warning, as Frank says. Yet, Frank's life is unfulfilling and he turns to the bottle for comfort, much too often and with dire consequences. A rival Irish gang leader (Dennis Farina) is supposed to be taken out at the airport but a drunken Frank sleeps through the intended hit. No one is happy and Frank is sent to San Fran to dry out and regroup. Although resistant at first, Frank finds that his new friends at AA and his new job as a funeral parlor assistant are very satisfying. Even more important, he meets a beautiful lady named Laurel (Tea Leoni) at one of the funerals and she deigns to start keeping time with him. But, will his past interfere? Here is one fine example of inspired film-making. It takes great risks in concept and characterization and comes out smelling like a rose. As the hit-man who gains a heart, Kingsley is terrific, even though his casting is another bold move. Leoni, likewise, is very fine in her role as an advertising saleswoman who finds it fun to walk on the wild side, for a change. As for the rest of the cast, it is superb, with Luke Wilson, Hall, Farina, an amazing Bill Pullman, and all of the others shining brightly in their respective roles. The costumes, lovely San Fran setting, and production values are most welcoming, too. There are those that would probably find this film more offensive than funny, perhaps, as hit men are not endearing in the usual scheme of things. Yet, if you would like to see a far-out and fearsome version of a romantic comedy, don't skip this one, whatever you do. It is a wacky and wonderful addition to dark world of black comedy.
well-acted dark comedy
posted on 20 Aug 2008Frank Falenczyk is the primo hit man for the Polish mafia in Buffalo, an organization that has come under increasing attack from Greek and Chinese gangs trying to muscle their way into the area. Frank also happens to be a raging alcoholic, a condition that has been adversely affecting his job performance of late (he's either messing up his killings or missing his targets altogether). To rectify the problem, his bosses send him off to San Francisco, where he is immediately enrolled in an AA program, the plan being that when he has finally sobered up, he'll be able to return home and resume his life as a paid assassin.Part crime drama and part May-December romance, "You Kill Me" is a wry dark comedy that features, amidst its various other virtues, a "killer" performance by Ben Kingsley. Frank is a man who means no ill-will towards anyone, even the people who fall victim to his occupation. Killing-for-hire is just a job like any other to Frank, and he really only feels guilty when he gets sloppy in his work (usually the result of the alcoholism), resulting in unnecessary suffering for his target. Otherwise, he strives to be a professional in his job and takes great pride in his work - or at least he would if he could ever get this monkey off his back. Even his new girlfriend in San Francisco - after some initial hesitation over the whole I'm-dating-a-hit-man thing - comes to see the soundness of his way of thinking. Still, there's nothing like the love of a good, nonjudgmental woman to inspire a man to engage in some serious introspective soul-searching and to provide him with a whole new outlook on life.Filled with offbeat characters and witty one-liners, the screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely has a sly way of insinuating itself into our affections despite the potential distastefulness lurking in the premise. Still, the "lovable killer" has long been an accepted staple of movie comedy (the little old ladies in "Arsenic and Old Lace," Dennis Price in "Kind Hearts and Coronets," Charlie Chaplin in "Monsieur Verdoux," just to name a few) and Kingsley's marvelously understated and self-effacing performance makes Frank fit to stand alongside such distinguished company. For added interest, this performance is almost a flipside antidote to the one he gave in "Sexy Beast," wherein he turned a cold-blooded killer into a cringe-inducing monster.As Laurel, the pragmatic woman who falls for this decidedly unorthodox older man, Tea Leoni brings a great deal of believability and charm to their relationship. And although Luke Wilson is pretty much wasted in the underdeveloped part of Frank's AA sponsor, Dennis Farina and Phillip Baker Hall flesh out their small but effective roles as two warring mob bosses.
Good story, but director too cheap to use full color film
posted on 04 Aug 2008I watched this flick because nothing else was worth seeing this weekend, so it was a matter of the selecting the best of the worst.Unfortunately, the director decided to not use normal color film in the cameras. There was the usual blue and white effect used, ad nauseam by so many pinheaded directors, then a bronze and white effect, almost no color, and in a very few places, wonderful full color. OK, I'm impressed with the director's artsy-ness.The color thing distracted from what was a pretty good dark comedy with about a dozen great lines and I'll buy the DVD just for those.Also, the work of Tea Leoni is new to me and she in one nice looking number.
Didn't work
posted on 23 Aug 2009I'm one for black comedies with more eccentricity and quirkiness than this film. The pace was painfully slow, characters often with useless and predictable dialog and the surface-drawn acting wasted on an interesting cast. Kingsley is someone I tend to watch with curiosity, having seen him in House of Sand and Fog and finding him quite versatile. Here his comedic timing seemed way too dark for me to handle, although I will say I found a few chuckles here and then. Tea Leoni was in a surprising role, but somehow saw Tea Leoni and not her character. Not surprisingly I found Pullman and Wilson annoying and stereotypical, and even found myself trying to experiment ways of re-stating their dialog better. I will say that I haven't quite grasped the idea of a straight black comedy, but the story seemed to be going nowhere in any sort of hurry. The dialog in itself was almost absurd for the very interesting idea, and Kingsley's hit-man character was all looks but very little character, as though he was reading lines as a drunken more than a mishandled hit-man. I prefer The Matador. Although too completely different takes, the characters seem much more approachable and above all, much more interesting. The direction of this film was the highlight, with some very interesting angles and imagery. Good potential, terrible lay out. A pure hit and miss.